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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: deal · fan · craft · kick · present · straw · suit · last

  1. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  23. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. last — finally
  2. deal — to handle
  3. last — final
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. suit — to fit
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. kick — with a leg
  10. craft — boats
  11. craft — a skill
  12. kick — a thrill
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. fan — a supporter
  15. suit — clothes
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. present — there
  18. kick — in football
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. present — a gift
  21. last — to go on
  22. present — the time now
  23. straw — to clutch at straws
  24. suit — in cards

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com